City of Ashland joins ODF in moving up fire danger to highest level
The fire danger level rose to “extreme” in Jackson and Josephine counties early Saturday morning, July 29, the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District has announced.
Dry vegetation and hot weather conditions prompted the move, ODF said.
Beginning Saturday morning at 12:01 a.m., the following public fire restrictions took effect on lands protected by ODF in southwest Oregon:
- The use of power saws is prohibited, excluding electric chainsaws.
- The cutting, grinding and welding of metal is prohibited.
- The mowing of dry or dead grass is prohibited.
- The operation of any other spark-emitting internal combustion engine not specifically mentioned above is prohibited.
In Ashland, fire Chief Ralph Sartain said new Industrial Fire Precaution Levels (IFPL) also increase Saturday and include the following restrictions (for more, click here):
- City operations such as tree cutting, in areas of dry vegetation, need a permit from Ashland Fire; local contractors can apply for a permit from Ashland Fire, as well;
- Some areas also require a permit from ODF;
- Regulations only apply in areas of dry vegetation. There is no ban on doing work in an irrigated landscape;
- Activities banned include cutting or grinding metal. If in doubt, get a permit.
The following fire prevention regulations are currently in effect on ODF-protected lands and will remain in effect until the fire danger level drops significantly:
- Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, and designated locations.
- Debris burning, including the use of burn barrels, is prohibited.
- Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, except in approved fire rings at designated campgrounds. In other locations clear of vegetation, portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed.
- Fireworks on or within 1/8th of a mile of ODF-protected land are prohibited.
- Any electric fence controller in use shall be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory or be certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services; and operated in compliance with the manufacturer’s fire-safe instructions.
- The use of exploding targets is prohibited.
- The use of tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base is prohibited.
- Motor vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, may only be used on improved roads free of flammable vegetation, except when used for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
- Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required while traveling, except on state highways, county roads and driveways: one shovel and one gallon of water or one 2.5 pound or larger fire extinguisher. All-terrain vehicles and motorcycles must be equipped with one 2.5 pound or larger fire extinguisher.
Under IFPL III, the following are prohibited between 1 and 8 p.m.:
- Power saws at loading sites;
- Loading or hauling of any product or material;
- Blasting;
- Welding, cutting, or grinding of metal;
- Any other spark emitting operation not specifically mentioned.
In addition, the following are permitted to operate overnight to the morning, between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m., where mechanized equipment capable of constructing fireline is immediately available to quickly reach and effectively attack a fire start:
- Ground-based operations (tractor/skidder, feller-buncher, forwarder, or shovel logging operations);
- Power saws on ground-based operations;
- Rotary head saw feller-bunchers with a continuous Firewatch;
- Non-rotary head saw feller-bunchers;
- Tethered logging — winch-assisted, cable-assisted, traction-assisted, etc. systems, which enable ground- based timber harvesting machines to operate on steep slopes.
For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District’s fire season restrictions, visit swofire.com.
In recent years, the extreme fire level took affect on Aug. 2, 2022; July 14, 2021; and July 31, 2020.
This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.
